Kent State University
6-5
Michigan
8-2
Flashes Lead Early in Loss to No. 24/21 Michigan
12/10/2017 9:40:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Kent State led by 10 points after the first period but was unable to make enough open shots over the final 30 minutes in a 54-41 loss to No. 24/21 Michigan Sunday afternoon inside of the Crisler Center.
Playing their third game in three states over the past six days, the Golden Flashes (6-5) shot a season-low 33.3 percent (15-for-45) from the floor. Although shots weren't falling, Kent State's effort on the defensive end of the floor was superb and held the Wolverines to their lowest-scoring game at the Crisler Center since Feb. 8, 2015. The Flashes kept Michigan 20 points below its season average in addition to a season-low five offensive rebounds.
"I thought our effort was fantastic. As far as focus, energy and effort for 40 minutes, it was one of our better efforts all season," said head coach Todd Starkey. "Overall, we did a really god job of executing the game plan but missed open shots. We got some good looks. If some of those shots that we normally hit go down or us, it's maybe a different story."
Kent State limited All-American Katelynn Flaherty, the nation's No. 6 scorer, to four points on 2-for-12 shooting. It is tied for the fewest points Flaherty, who is Michigan's all-time leading scorer, has scored since her ninth collegiate game on Dec. 13, 2014.
The Flashes mixed in different defensive looks throughout the game, with a box-and-one aimed at limiting Flaherty's impact on the game being used for the majority of the contest. Senior point guard Naddiyah Cross answered the challenge of chasing the All-American all over the court.
"That was one of the better executions of a defensive game plan that we've had all year," added Starkey. "We did a really good job of paying attention to details and making them take a lot of tough shots. It was a team effort, but we're not even in that game if Naddiyah doesn't play 38 minutes of phenomenal defense."
Michigan scored on the opening possession of the game but went scoreless until its final possession of the first period. In between, the Wolverines missed nine shots and committed six turnovers while Kent State scored 12 straight points. After turning it over their first two times with the ball, junior Alexa Golden put the Flashes on the board with a three-pointer from the wing at the 7:51 mark. Golden drilled a long three-pointer at the buzzer to give Kent State a 15-5 lead at the end of the first quarter. She led the way with eight points, while senior Jordan Korinek scored the other seven points on 3-for-3 shooting.
"We've struggled with slow starts recently and had a great start today," Starkey said. "It was a phenomenal start of the game for us. That's when our legs were fresh and we were able to knock down some shots."
The Flashes struggled to make those same shots over the next 20 minutes, going just 4-for-20 and being outscored 33-13 in the second and third quarters.
Plagued by turnovers, Kent State did not score until there was 4:39 remaining in the second quarter when Cross connected on a mid-range shot to make it 17-12. The Flashes turned the ball over eight times in the period, which the Wolverines converted into nine points. Kent State finished the game with 21 turnovers.
"We had way too many live ball turnovers" Starkey commented. "A lot of that's because of Michigan and their length and pressure. But we have to take care of the ball better than that."
Tied 19-19 to start the second half, Michigan went on a 12-4 run to take its first lead since the opening minutes of the game. A three-pointer by graduate student McKenna Stephens cut Kent State's deficit to 33-28, but the Wolverines converted four free throw attempts and got a huge three-pointer from Nicole Munger to end the period on a 7-0 and push the lead to double-digits entering the fourth.
The Flashes got within nine on three occasions in the final period but were unable to get any closer. The 13-point final differential was the largest of the game.
Golden led all players with 15 points and three steals. Korinek added 10 points and drew a pair of charges.
In addition to shooting its lowest percentage of the season from the floor, Kent State attempted a season-low eight free throws despite drawing 18 fouls on the Wolverines. The Flashes entered the game having taken the sixth-most free throws in the country.
Kent State won the battle on the boards, 32-28, but was only able to convert eight offensive rebounds into two points. Korinek grabbed a game-high eight rebounds, while Golden and junior Merissa Barber-Smith had five rebounds each. Barber-Smith also had six points and a blocked shot in her first collegiate start.
The Golden Flashes will enjoy a much-needed eight-day break as the student-athletes take final exams and will return to action with an early 10 a.m. tip at Robert Morris on Tuesday, Dec. 19.
